Amarant’s Sacrifice
by Varis Anubi
Summary: tragic short about the FFIX crew, takes place 6 years after IX and everyone is going to see Zidane and Dagger because they just had their first child but when all is happy tradgidy strikes Zidane where it hurts most. SPOILER possibly


----------------------------------------------- **Amarant's Sacrifice**------------------------------------------------

It had been six years since the battle for the planet, everyone had finally settled into they're lives. Zidane and Garnet had been married happily for three years and all seemed to be at peace at last. The love that bloomed not even the Flaming Amarant was able to evade; every day he found himself growing fonder of the group of misfits that he could almost call friends and the woman he referred to as the bane of his existence, Lani, but even she wore him to possible enjoyment of her presence. It was with this boisterous woman he now traveled to visit the young rulers of Alexandria who just recently welcomed into the world their first-born son. _Why am I doing this?_ The flaming one thought. _This isn't like me at all why do I give a damn about the offspring of that pitiful monkey?_ Amarant didn't think that it was so much the fact of welcoming the rodent offspring of the annoying man who had stopped at nothing to crack Amarant's hard mental shell and had succeeded, but Amarant wasn't about to let that pest know it.

_Those dreams, that's why I'm going back_, the arrogant one concluded. As of late Amarant had been having dreams that his life would be needed one last time and it was a certainty that it would be lost. And that he would do it to spare the life of one and to save another. _Two lives for mine,_ he didn't know whose lives would be the ones he would die for; but, the thought mildly startled him that he would care so. 

"Why so serious Red?" Amarant was shook from his unsettled thoughts by the voice of Lani. Amarant turned his head towards the small figure of the woman who sat by his side in the small gargan basket. Compared to Amarant's large size the woman was a tiny dwarf. But Amarant found it deeply unsettling that recently whenever he looked at the small woman; her bronze skin, dark hair, and brown eyes, he felt something inside him soften almost as if… _no way_, Amarant thought._ I can't fall in love, I'll be dead soon and it won't matter_. He shook the thought from his head and frowned down upon the ax-welder.

"…….None of your business," Amarant replied, turning his head to look at the gargan's underbelly.

"Fine, be that way," Lani huffed. "I don't care if you don't want to share," she said. Amarant just shook his flaming head.

"Doesn't bother me," he said, examining the blade of the Rune Claw. 

"Grrrr," was all Lani had to say. _Good finally shut her up_, Amarant chuckled as the gargan continued along the winding underground tram.

********************************

Zidane walked through the marble halls of the palace, his footsteps echoing off the high ceilings. A smile couldn't help but surface itself upon his face as he ascended the stairway to the chambers he shared with his lovely wife and their newborn son. _The others should be assembling soon,_ he warmly thought as he murmured a greeting to Steiner, who stood in the hall adjacent to the hall he was heading towards. The knight smiled at the king and returned to whatever he had been doing. Zidane laughed to himself thinking of how when they had first met that Steiner would rather die than show any kind of fondness towards the former Tantalus. 

Six long years, three since I've seen most of the gang, Zidane thought, stopping in front of the door that lead to the royal chamber. He smiled before he entered and traced his fingers along the carving on the door he had made when he and Garnet, or as he still referred to her Dagger, had first been married, _Zidane and Dagger,_ he fondly read the gold-lettered carving. He smiled again and swung the cherry wood door open and stepped into the familiar room. He was greeted by the royal blue drapery hung above the windows that brushed the floor with gold tassels; the wooden floor was covered with a deep purple rug accented with flecks of gold and silver. The large featherbed covered with velvet blue and purple coverings and the walls of marble painted with roses and other symbols of regality.

But even though the regal colors of the room were breathtaking in themselves the one finery in the room that Zidane loved more than the greatest treasures this palace of gold and marble had to offer, sat in a velvet upholstered loveseat near the open window sunlight streaking across her face, his beloved wife Garnet and in her arms she held the fruit of their love his son, Zion.

"Dagger," Zidane smiled, walking towards the vision of beauty. She looked up from their child and smiled.

"Hello my love, I trust that everything went smoothly?" she said gently, cradling the child with utmost tenderness. Zidane sat down next to his beloved and gently kissed her soft lips.

"Of course why wouldn't it've?" he said, relaxing into the speech he was discouraged from using when in public.

"Well you never know when negotiating for peace," she said, gazing down at the baby. The child slept soundly his normally bouncy attitude calmed by the envelope of rest. The small tail he had inherited from his father curled around Garnet's wrist loosely in the way any other baby would cling to a mother's finger. The small tuft of blonde that stuck out from beneath the cap he wore boasted that he inherited his father's hair color as well as his mother's was about as far from blonde as possible.

"Took me forever to get him to sleep like this he's so fussy just like his father," Garnet smiled, looking into Zidane's eyes.

"What? I'm not fussy," Zidane protested.

"Well….." Garnet said, standing from her seat slowly crossing the room and gently placing the boy in his bassinet. Zidane followed suit and met her halfway across the chamber.

"You do have a tendency to- oh!" she stopped as her knees buckled under her and sent her into Zidane's arms.

"Dagger what's wrong?" Zidane asked, worry crossing his face. Garnet tried to stand but her legs would not allow it.

"I-I'm not sure Zidane, please help me to the bed," she said feeling frightened as Zidane gently lifted her and carried her to the bed, gently setting her down on top of the soft covers. He sat by her side and took her hand in his own. He felt overcome with fear once he saw the pallid shade of her usually rosy skin.

"Dagger what's wrong?" he repeated, more desperate this time. She shook her head and smiled. 

"I don't think it's anything bad remember I used to get like this quite often while I was pregnant with Zion," she said calmly.

"But sweetie we haven't-," Zidane trailed off, shaking his head.

"No what I'm saying is that maybe it's just an after sickness perhaps flushing anything out of my system that I no longer need," Garnet said gently, brushing her husbands cheek gently with her hand.

"Anyway, Dr. Tot will be here soon with the others and he can check me out, there is no reason to worry my love," she cooed lovingly, pulling him towards her. Zidane smiled as Garnet kissed him gently and he drew his lips closed into hers. _She's probably right_, Zidane thought._ I mean she's the one who went through the pregnancy not me I'm sure she knows more about it than me._ As he drew away from her Steiner entered the room.

"Your majesties your guests have arrived," he said, looking towards the couple suddenly noticing how Garnet looked ill. Alarm crossed his face as he rushed across the room.

"Oh your majesty what is the matter? I must get Dr. Tot immediately!" the knight cried, rushing back out of the room. To Zidane's surprise Garnet let out a light chuckle.

"He worries too much," she smiled, her dark eyes sparkling. _Man I can't believe I thought that some little thing like this could take Dagger down,_ he thought.

A few moments later Dr. Tot came into the room and instructed Zidane to take Zion and to leave the room. Zidane obediently scooped up the sleeping child in his arms and shot a worried glance in Garnet's direction she smiled at him but he noticed that she looked even worse than before. _ I hope she's okay,_ he thought as he carried Zion to the hallway where the others stood. Zidane placed Zion into Hilda's arms and walked to the corner he slid against the marble wall until he was in a sitting position. Normally he would have gladly joined into the merriment but too much was on his mind. _ No simple sickness could make Dagger look that ill,_ he thought his brow furrowed. _Poison? Who would've poisoned her and when? That's impossible._ He would have continued further in his thought but Dr. Tot emerged looking quite solemn. Zidane jumped to his feet and ran to the doctor.

"What's wrong with her?" Zidane frantically asked.

"Well I'm afraid that some sort of toxin has been injected into her body she will die within the hour," the merriment died suddenly at the tragic news.

"No…" Zidane whispered, pain washing over him.

"DAGGER!!!" he screamed as he ran past the doctor and into the room were his angel lay dying. He ran to her side and grabbed her hand in his.

"Dagger I'm here baby," he whispered tear clouding his vision. She looked at him and smiled weakly.

"I'm not sure how but the doctor says that I am dying from poison," she said. It was all Zidane could bear to sit with her and not sob uncontrollably.

"Dagger you can't die on me I need you," he whispered.

"Zidane, my love I need you too please don't leave me," she said, her eyes tearing up as well. Zidane looked at her and moved towards her closer he pressed his lips against hers and sobbed mid kiss. He broke away and looked into her eyes that were beginning to get a distant look.

"Dagger please don't leave me I love you," he cried. Garnet looked at Zidane and smiled.

"Zidane I have to go now but don't worry I'll be back soon, I love you…too," she whispered as she cried in pain a violent convulsion rippling through her small body. She stopped moving after a moment and she lay her eyes open glazed over, she was dead.

"NO!!!" Zidane screamed, 

"Dagger! Please don't leave!!" he was pried from Garnet's side by Amarant and Steiner they carried him from the room screaming as soon as they put him down the genome ran into the room and pushed the old doctor away from Garnet's side.

"Get the hell away from her!" he yelled, collapsing at her side. He grabbed her hand and buried his face into her cooling palm.

"Zidane…." came Eiko's voice from behind him.

"Get out of this room," he growled from between clenched jaw.

"Zidane, c'mon I'm-" Eiko started but she was abruptly cut off by Zidane's rage.

"I SAID GET THE HELL OUTTA MY GOD DAMN ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Zidane screamed, standing from Garnet's side the few people who had been in the room ran out the door and Zidane slammed it shut after them, locking it. 

"Dagger," he cried slumping at her still side; he gently kissed her eyes and buried his face in his hands and wept. He sat in the room well into the evening and he refused to allow anyone to move Garnet.

**************************************

Amarant sat awake in the courtyard and listened to the sounds of Zidane screaming at anyone who dared to come near the room that held the dead queen. He knew this was the day he had dreamt of. _ No doubt that Zidane will commit suicide when he finally realizes that the queen ain't coming back, but am I ready to die for her? And him?_ Amarant realized that the answer was yes. Like it or not they were all family; not flesh and blood but the bonds they held were strong. The warrior stood from the ground and stretched his large arms for what he knew would be the last time. The big man entered the castle and began his trek to death. Funny how someone as arrogant as he could sacrifice his own life to save that of a family that he had looked upon with scorn in the beginning. As he approached the door Eiko ran to him.

"Zidane won't let you in he won't let anyone in," she sadly said. Amarant looked down at the lavender headed girl and sighed.

"Kid, he'll let me in I'm the only one who can save the queen," He said banging on the door.

"What?" Eiko asked, Amarant ignored the summoner and turned to the door.

__

"GO AWAY!!!!" Came the muffled reply of the king.

"Zidane it's Amarant open up I know of a way to save Garnet," there was a click and Zidane's face stained with tears came from behind the door.

"Do it," Zidane sternly said allowing the giant to step in. He wasn't sure how the bounty hunter would save his sweet love and he didn't care as long as he got her back. Amarant stepped over to the bed where Garnet rested and he dropped the Rune Claw to the ground. _What's he doing?_ Zidane thought.

"I have been having dreams about this for about a month now I wasn't sure who would fall but I knew I would die. Zidane you talked about callings once? Well this is mine to save you from driving yourself to destruction and to save Garnet from death. I might join the mage but if I don't who cares? Zidane tell everyone that…. I wasn't that bad and that I care….a little," after a speech unusually long for the flaming one her rose his hand over Garnet's heart. _Is he gonna?_ Zidane realized it too late.

"Sacrifice," Amarant said, he was surrounded with a bright glow as his body transformed into glowing energy it entered into Garnet and she gasped in life he eyes snapping open.

"Dagger!" Zidane cried rushing to the woman's side. The glow subsided and all that was left was Garnet living and breathing Garnet. Zidane gathered the queen in his arms and held her close.

"Zidane?" She asked confused.

"What happened?" Zidane smiled sadly as he looked into her eyes.

"Amarant found his calling he saved our lives," he whispered.

"He sacrificed himself to bring you back from the dead," Garnet looked saddened by this.

"Oh my he of all people…" She whispered.

"Yeah, I know but he's my hero now I will always remember Amarant's Sacrifice."

~Fin~

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Well that is my tragic short I hope you liked it and that it made you at least want to cry like it did me well actually I did cry a lot I had to stop typing for like ten minutes because I was crying so bad. But like always comments are appreciated J 

marquee font blue=Praise the Unworthy Monkey!!! :E :E /marquee


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